Race in our society is always seeing as an issue among individuals, because our judgmental does not allow us to know people before judging them. While I was watching the video, Race and the power of illusion I noticed that people are being judged based on their skin color. In addition most of them think that race are related to biology, which I agree, because, we are just people. Our genes do determine whether we are black, white, and yellow etc. however, I think the physical appearances determine our race more than the biological does. The fact biology is based on genes and that your genes do not clearly identify this, so we based our assumption on the physical characteristics, because we judge the external part like the skin.

By judging people on their skin tone, we definitely develop racism internally and externally. Believing that one race is better than another race is totally wrong. People in power always exaggerate by determining whether if one is wealthy or poor. Therefore, if even the class one belongs to shapes your racial characteristics.

I found the video interesting because it was discussing the reality many people faced in their daily lives. Its explain how the hierarchy of society rank people regarding their race.

sex,sexuality, and gender

Gender and sexuality lecture was of those interesting and hilarious class we had on Thursday.  Professor Battle vividly explain how gender and sexuality interact and what are the two term in a sociological based life. He explained the social institutions as a GREEF, which stands for Government, Religion, Economics, Education, and lastly Family. Its seem like all these are associated with our social norms which means anything among these are not considered.  To be honest, all of these were new to me, because we do not pay attention to these little things that impact us in everyday life. As Prof.  Battle claims, Sexuality is influenced by the interaction of biology, psychological, social, economic, political, cultural, ethical and legal. The three standards of sexuality are sexual desire, sexual activity, and sexual identify. These 3 standards give a sense of sex, sexuality, and gender: it involve physically and emotionally, the behavior and sense of self as being heterosexual, bisexual, lesbian, gay, and homesexual.

The details he gave us about sexuality, gender, and sex was clear and factual. Since sex refers to the biological characteristics that make up females and males. Whereas gender refers to the socially constructed expectations associated with women and men. In addition, people who experience no sexual attraction for anyone.  When the professor gave an example of a students that said, “All men are interested in good, easy, and new”. i definitely agreed with him that men are usually interested in those domain about women.

 

 

 

class and inequality is leading us into conflict

Class inequality is reflected in the episode 512 “House Rule” of this American Life podcast.  The episode explains issues that regard racial segregation about school and housing.  First, it started with a 15^th year old girl name Jada who was kicked out of school by administrators because Jada’s mother  used her grandfather’s address in Copley , a wealthy neighborhood, instead using her own address in Akron in a poor area. As a result, Jada couldn’t continue her education in the Copley-Fairlawn school. The administrators were imposing class and inequality against Jada.  Since Jada was not from a wealthy family she cannot go to a school where upper-class kids can attend.  Therefore, Kelly Williams, Jada’s mother was sent in jail for 10days because of her giving a wrong address to enroll her child in school. This shows that class is not just perceived as been rich but also as being black as well. Since Jada was black the school administrators see her as an underclass individual. Since education determines our class then the class we belong to affect our education as well, because the more money a person’s family has the better educated that person would be.

The second point in the episode about renting an apartment in areas that are considered wealthy neighborhoods. Elbe, a black man wanted a one bedroom apartment for his family. However, the super of the building denied him of the apartment, because his black. Even the tone of the super sounded racism he lied about the rent of the apartment thinking that the black man could not afford that price. However, when a white lady came to see the apartment the super sounded very nice and didn’t mention the same price he told the black man. It was $1150 while he told Elbe a price higher than this. All these attitudes showed racial segregated in concern where we also choose to live. He was experiencing classism in term of his skin color. Even, if the black man had that amount of money, the upper wouldn’t let him have the apartment because of his race or ethnicity, educational background and behavior are all factors class-based status in the social life.     

This issue continued throughout the conversation in the episode. Many black people were denied of the apartment they pointed out to rent. While each time a white person comes for the apartment the super have a different view and responds to them. They were discriminated against. Until, when the fair housing laws in 1968 was passed. George Romney, the former governor of Michigan was fighting to end racial on housing. He wanted to eliminate racial segregation in housing. However, President Nixon didn’t like the idea of Romney changing the ways of the social structure of segregating housing based on race. Nicole emphases that the public transportation is also perceived in the racial issue. She points out that when the bus get to a certain neighborhood all white people get off from in a specific area or town when almost half of these people are white. In the case, I too have noticed that whenever the train gets to 72 street and 96 street all the white folks get off and only colored ones stay ride the train from those stops throughout the Bronx.  I noticing this made me think that even where we choose to live is influenced by our class. Most part of the Bronx is perceived as poor areas, whereas, Manhattan is seeing as upper-class areas.

It is true that class is not just about the wealth, it includes many other crucial issues that make up our social life. Such as education, work, lifestyle, health and even politics all are part of us which determine our class. However, it does also bring conflict of inequality between classes, because the upper-class may see themselves as superior and more powerful that the lower-class which leads to discrimination.

    

Social class

 

In Marx’s Analysis of class claims that people have to meet basic needs in order to survive in a society where everything is about class itself.  As Marx argues a person’s economy is the system that help one determines an individual social life. The major dilemma our nation is facing currently is the economy status. Many people think that the wealthier people are more that than the poor ones in the country. Well this is wrong! There are more lower class people or even underclass those who are not employed have no wealth, they were probably born into poverty are more in the country than the upper class individuals. Our society is divided in social classes: The capitalist or upper class, middle class, working class, and the underclass or lower class. In addition, within these social classes there are upper and lower as well based on capital, knowledge, skilled and unskilled, and the chronically unemployed. Therefore, there is all kind of class in America. This is what differs us from one another and sometimes this creates discrimination among us, because many people may abuse their power by making themselves inferior to the less privilege. Then, this may lead some to think they won’t be able to move from one class to another. However, the class system allows some class mobility if one has an available occupational change.

The reading class conflict: Tuition Hikes Leave College Students in Debt and Torn Between Paid work and Course Work claims the education is an example of class mobility, because many people believe that education is the key the succeed in life. In additions, if a person is educated is has a better chance of acquiring a better paying jobs than a person who is not educated or have lower level of education. However, this is driving many students crazy because tuitions are been cut down which means students have to work long hours to be able to pay for college expenses. On top of this, we the students have lot of assignments to do and prepare for exams etc. the institutions just demand the bills to be paid, while students are fighting hard to meet their needs for both survival and educational. Most of these students are from lower working class families to the poorest families are struggling hard to maintain a level of education. As the article illustrates a student name Brigit M. she faced hardships while in college to pay her fees. This is significant for students from working class families, because they have to work more hours to meet their college needs and other expenses.

             From my understanding class is everywhere in the world. Social class is what makes us different and creates inequality among people. The wealthy keep their wealth and the poor still stay poor or even worse. The fact that class is related to education, lifestyle, health, work, and even politic affect us in general. We tend to ignore class sometimes, because it seems not vivid to see we are leveled based on it. For example, a person tends to marry a partner with the same class as him/her. We mingle with friends that belong into the same class you belong to. It’s all about class.